A reputed mobster called “Boobsie” gambled in Manhattan court Friday — and lost.
Eugene Castelle, an alleged foot soldier for the Luchese crime family, had turned down a plea deal from the government that would have likely got him between eight and 14 months in prison on raps including illegal gambling and racketeering.
Castelle decided instead to fight his case before a jury and was convicted.
He now faces a sentence of between 30 to 40 months in prison, according to guidelines.
He was allowed to walk free on a $1 million bond.
Castelle was rounded up in 2016 with five other defendants for running an illegal sports-gambling website.
Castelle’s lawyer, Gerald McMahon, said his client was convicted for something that’s becoming increasingly legal in New York — the only difference, he said, is that Castelle was doing it with an “Italian veneer.
“Is gambling still a crime in America?” said. “Do we need to put him in jail for gambling? Come on.”
Castelle was prosecuted alongside Bonnano bosses Joe “Joe C” Cammarano and John “Porky” Zancioccio, who fared better in their trials earlier this year and were able to walk free after a jury acquitted them of racketeering charges.